Plaster cast



March 3, 1959 E. L. LovlcH 2,877,5,752

PLASTER CAST Filed April 8, 1957 9 4 INVENTOR 13 7 Edward L. Loviclf,

ATTORN EYS United States Patent() 2,875,752 PLAsTER CAST Edward L. Lovicll, `Apple Creek, Ohio Application April 8, 1957, Serial No. 651,231

3 Claims. (Cl. 12S-83) The present invention relates to a rigid footpiece for injured persons and more particularly to a plaster cast or the like having a rigid -footpieee shaped to conform to the bottom of the injured persons foot.

Heretofore, persons with broken bones in the foot have been unable to return to work promptly and have been required to stay olf their feet for long periods of time even when the foot was in a pl-aster cast. Casts which prevented movement of the foot were too heavy to be practical or tended to break near the toes if the extra weight were not present.

According to the present invention, a rigid footpiece is provided which is shaped to conform to the bottom of the foot so that the weight is evenly distributed throughout the length and width of the foot, avoiding the concentration of weight on the Iball vand heel of the foot which tends to move the broken bones of the foot. This footpiece may be rigidly mounted in a plaster walking cast or, in the case of a broken toe or a broken metatarsal bone, may be inserted into an ordinary oversize shoe. The footpiece may be made of a rigid deformable metal or may be `a rigid plastic molded to conform to the foot. A cushioning layer of felt, sponge rubber, or other suitable material may he mounted above the rigid portion of the footpiece and may in some instances be employed to support the arch of the foot.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple inexpensive means for preventing the application of sub-` stantial forces to the leg and foot bones of an injured person which would interfere with the proper knitting of broken bones.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple means for protecting a broken foot which permits the injured person to return to work in a minimum period of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, plaster, walking cast or light weight which is comfortable and affords maximum protection to broken bones.

Other objects, uses and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view on a reduced scale showing the plaster cast of the present invention in place on a persons leg;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view with the leg removed, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l and on a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the footpiece employed in the cast of Fig. 1 on a larger scale with a portion of the cotton insole broken away;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the footpiece of Fig. 3 on the same scale with parts broken away and shown in longitudinal cross section; and

Figure 5 is afragmentary vertical sectional view of the cast of Figs. 1 and 2 on a larger scale showing how the footpiece is rigidly mounted in the cast.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which like parts are identified by the same numerals throughout the several views, Figs. 1 and 2 show a plaster cast Al made according to the present invention and mounted on a persons broken leg L and foot f, said persons toes t projecting out of the cast. The cast A has a removable footpiece B which engages the bottom of the foot F to provide a comfortable support therefor and which extends substantially to the` front of the toes t.

The cast A may be formed in the conventional manner using splints and/or roll bandages impregnated with plaster of Paris, but the `footpiece B is held against the bottom of the foot during the forming of vthe cast. The cast A has a fabric-reinforced plaster body 1 enclosing the leg, which conforms to the shape of the leg L and foot f, and to the shape of the footpiece B, the bandages 2 being visible at the outer surface of said plaster body 1.

A conventional rubber heel may be provided to assist` in mobilization of the patient or person wearing the cast. Such a heel may, for example,.=be of the general type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,634,723.

As herein shown, the cast A has a one-piece molded rubber heel 4 of the type shown in Patent No. 2,634,723, with forwardly and rearwardly projecting flanges 5 which facilitate mounting of the heel on the bottom portion of the cast.

As herein shown, a thin cotton layer 6 completely covers the inside surface of the plaster layer 1 and engages the leg L and the foot f. The metal sole 7 of the 4footpiece B rests on a portion of the layer 6 below the foot, but it will be apparent that this portion of the layer 6 may be removed, if desired. A thick insole layer 8 of felt, cotton, or other suitable padding of uniform thickness, is bonded to the top of the sole 7 to provide a soft cushion for engaging the bottom of the foot f.

A plurality of split pins or rivets 9 may be provided on the sole 7 to prevent movement of the footpiece in the cast. As herein shown, two pins 9 are provided, one being located at the` center of theheel portion 12 and the other beinglocated near the center of the arched portion 13. Each pin 9 has a peened headlS and leg portions 16 fand 17, which may `'be bent like alcotter t pin to hold the footpieces in place. Each pin 9 is riveted to and rigidly mounted on a metal sole 7 and initially projects perpendicular to the sole, as shown in Fig. 4.

The sole 7 may be made of any suitable material but preferably is made of a non-corrosive metal, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, which may be hammered to the exact shape of the foot. The sole 7 is cut like a shoe sole to provide a marginal edge 10 that conforms to the outline of the foot, a widened front portion 11 below the ball and toes of the foot, a heel portion 12 of reduced width below the heel of the foot, and an intermediate 'arched portion 13 that supports the arch of the foot. The layers 7 and 8 are shaped like a shoe sole so as to conform to the shape of the bottom of the foot f as is apparent from the drawings. In some instances the padding layer 8 may be shaped to provide Ian arch support, but it is preferable to form the rigid layer 7 to conform almost exactly to the shape of the foot so that the layer S may have a uniform thickness.

The heel 4 has a bottom ground engaging surface whichis curved forwardly and rearwardly as indicated in Fig. l to permit a rocking movement of the cast in the direction of its movement during normal use. The foot piece B of the present invention does not interfere in any way with mounting of the conventional walking heel on the cast and does not substantially increase the work required to apply the cast to the leg and foot. A supply of footpieces of different sizes may be maintained at the hospital so that the proper size may be provided for any Patented Mar. 3, 1959y foot. However, best; results are obtained when each footpieceishammered to theexact shape of'thefoot;

During the application of the plaster cast the footpiece is held against the bottom of4 the foot and bandages are wrappedaround' the leg and the foot. The sharp points ofth'eipins 9perforatethe bandages as Vthey are wrapped aroundthe footpiece and after several layers oflb'andages are applied lover thepins 9 the leg portions 16 and 17 are bent infopposite directions, as indicated in Fig. 5, so thatthe footpiece is rigidly heldin place relative to the bandages. More layers ofthe `bandagesare then wrapped around the` leg portions 16 -and 17 of'` the pins, the heel 4 is applied, andy more bandages are applied to complete thcfcast.

After',` the;` castl iscomple'tedg'. thel bottom-portion of thezplastenibody'l, below-vthefoot, is 'shaped'toconforni tother Soler-.7', asfiszapparent'from ',Fig'; 2, solthat the'footbottonrzplortion ofthe'cast, the-ffront'portion of ther-foot-y pieee=beingfrigidly'lsupportedin a'cantilever fashion soas l torprovide. proper support for thefront Sportionl'o the foot f.: Since thefootpiece conforms tothe shapeof theffoot,

it distributes the forces on .thefoot evenlythroughout the` length and-.widthof thefoot-:soas to avoidf the: concentration of pressureaon limited areas of the footfas lis `the case/with a .person wearingfordinary'shoes. Itrlis,y therefore, `possible for a person withE broken vbones in' his foot ted into anoversized shoe .toprotect the foot of a person having a broken toe ora broken: metatarsal bone, .in which case Athe'pins 9.would.be omitted. Heretofore such a personzwasrequired tostay oil his feet for substantial periods of time ,and .to stay yhome .from work.

With the foot piece of the present invention, such a person-,recanzquickly returnzto 4work andineeds only to buy anv oversized shoe-to` receivel the..rigid footpiece. The conventional shoe sole is,.of course, .too exible to proteet` thel broken bones `of Aa foot.`

It-,will be understood fthat the above description V.is by wayl ofzillustration rather .than .limitationand that, in accordance with the` provisions of the patent statutes, variations and modifications of the specic devices disclosed hereinmayAA be'y made Without departing from" the" spiritl of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A plaster cast comprising a walking heel having a ground-engaging heel portion and forwardly and rearwardly extending anges, said heel portion having 1a bottom surface which is curved forwardly and rearwardly to permit a rocking movement of the cast in the direction of its movement during normal use, a'plaster body having leg-receiving. and foot-receiving portions, a bandage wrapped around said plaster body and said anges to reinforce' said body andto hold said walking 'heel in 'position, said flanges being lembedded inthe lower foot-receiving portion of said cast, :and a rigid foot-supporting member shaped like a shoe sole for engaging the portion of said plaster body in which said flanges are embedded, a portion of said member` projectingtbeyond said plaster the shape' of the' bottontfsurfaceVV ofl sid" mniber.`

2. Aplastencastas defined in claim'd wherein said't last-named member' has a pluralit'yof pin's projecting" downwardly from its 'bottom surfacejto' holdl said ymemberv in place in the'castand wherein'a'v relatively thick foot-engaging layer of' softpadding material` isprovided on top of said member.

3. ln combination With'a foot enclosing"devicehaving a groundengaging heel, a footpiece comprising a thin rigid metal sole of generally uniform thickness shapedlike a` shoe sole and havinga heel portion, a wider ball-engaging and toe-engaging portion and an arched intermediatepon tion, a plinality' of sharply"pointed`pins rig'idlylcon` nected to said metal sole andprojecting` downwardly' therefrom, and' a foot-engaging layer Vof padding material having a substantially uniform thickness of at least Y'four times that of said metal sole cemented to and completely covering the-top surface of vsaid metal sole.'

Fracture Equipment:v Zimmer; Feb.' l, v1947, p. 118. (Copy` in Divisiony 55.)

DelbonV Jan. l, 1935` Wright Apr. 14,' 1953 

